Here is the Place Where I Love You
by xoLOVExo
Summary: An emotional retelling of Rue's death in her pov.


**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games blah blah blah…**

**Author's note: I did use direct quotes from the book, but the rest of it is all mine. Please comment, it is the only thing that makes me want to write more. Check out the rest of my stories also!**

I have to start a simple fire for my ally, Katniss. I know I can do it because I have already managed to start two other fires. My match is about to be lit when I inadvertently walk into a net. It forces me into an uncomfortable position, but besides that, I am unharmed. I try to be as silent as possible, but I know that the net made a very loud noise when it caught me. There is nothing I can do but wait for now.

I know that I need Katniss' help, so I signal to her using the four-note tune that means that I am all right. I am certainly _not _all right, but she might come to help me anyways. After a couple of minutes, I am getting really worried. If she doesn't come soon, someone will find me. A noise nearby scares me, but I assure myself that it is simply an animal. Out of despair I cry out, but nobody returns my scream.

By now I am completely unhinged and starting to fear for my life. Not that it is anything that I am unfamiliar with. "Katniss!" A couple of seconds go by before I feel the need to yell it again, "Katniss!"

"Rue!" I hear Katniss' familiar voice call out. "Rue, I'm coming!" Suddenly I am feeling hopeful again. I see her break into the clearing and I reach my hand out of the net.

"Katniss." I am so glad to see her. All of my happiness is replaced with pain as I am impaled with a spear. The pain is excruciating and more than I can bear, so I am stuck in silence. I wouldn't be able to talk anyways because the air is forced out of my lungs from the power. I am choking to get any air, but I just taste my blood coming up my throat. There is no hope for me.

I hear a body hit the ground and I am afraid that it is Katniss, but I see her face and know that she killed the person that is about to have killed me. Katniss is turning around desperately with her bow and arrow. "Are there more? Are there more?" She urgently shouts at me.

I realize that there is still a little bit of air in my lungs and I use it to tell her no, but she is so focused that she doesn't hear me until I have repeated it several times. Adrenaline is fading and a shooting pain returns. My body tries to go into something like a fetal position, but I end up barely on my side. The painful throbbing near my stomach makes me clutch her hand, but it doesn't dull it.

The food. I have to know what happened to the food before I die. "You blew up the food?" I attempt to say it, but it comes out as a whisper.

"Every last bit," I wonder if she is lying to me, but I decide that she wouldn't do that to me.

Thinking is hard because of the agony, but one is stuck in my mind. "You have to win,"

Her eyes are filling with tears, "I'm going to. Going to win for both of us now," I hear a cannon, and hope that it isn't mine, but then I remember that another person died.

"Don't go." I say, desperately. Another pang of agony makes me squeeze her hand harder.

"Course not. Staying right here," She scoots next to me and gently raises my head onto her lap. She strokes my bloody hair and tucks it behind my ear.

I can feel the air leaving me, but I have one more dying wish. "Sing," I manage to whisper. I can see Katniss frantically trying to think of something to sing, and I begin to worry that I will die before I hear her voice again.

She coughs, signaling she is about to start. What she sings is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard, and I am thankful that this is going to be my last memory.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_

_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow _

_Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes_

_And when again they open, the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you._

My eyes close and I imagine this magical place. I allow myself to relax and accept death. Maybe death isn't such a bad thing after all.

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_

_A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_

_Forget your woes and let your troubles lay_

_And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

The last lines are soft and I can barely hear it, but I don't really notice because the rest of the world is slipping away with it. Peace overcomes me and Katniss' angelic voice is one of many. The choir ends the song:

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you._

My last breathes are the only sound in the forest.


End file.
